Localizing a Global Material — Without the Global Headaches

A Tier 1 automotive supplier was gearing up for new production when they encountered a sourcing roadblock: they needed a foil gasket material for an antenna assembly, but the product was only manufactured overseas—in Europe and Japan. Importing the material would introduce longer lead times, elevated freight costs, and potential conversion delays that threatened to derail the customer’s timeline and budget. 

EIS stepped in to provide a more efficient path forward. We leveraged our network of domestic suppliers to identify a U.S.-sourced alternative, FBL 100, a foil and LDPE material from IPG that offered the performance characteristics needed for the antenna assembly. This allowed the customer to avoid the delays, costs, and logistical challenges associated with importing material from Europe or Japan. With the new material in place, the customer was able to keep their production schedule on track while simplifying procurement through a trusted local partner.

With EIS’s support, the customer was able to avoid international sourcing delays and the associated costs of importing and converting material from overseas. By identifying a compatible domestic alternative and assisting through the engineering validation process, EIS helped streamline the customer’s supply chain while preserving the technical performance required for their antenna assembly. The project is currently in the final approval stages, and the material has shown no issues to date—putting the customer in a strong position to move forward with confidence and efficiency.